Yardbarker: Luis Gonzalez

This One Time...Luis Gonzalez Hit 57 Home Runs in a Season

Fri, 29 May 2009 11:18:51 -0500

Move On, Nothing to See Here...Just My Vein-Popping Arms

I'm not all "into" the steroid debate. Surely, there are some purists out there who might chastise me for turning the other cheek for the most part and continuing to spend money over the years to watch a game filled with players who were almost undoubtedly "cheating" at some level of the definition.

My sentiment has been communicated here in the past - it's mostly just sadness. Sadness that I now must question everything and believe no one. The history of the game is impossible to assess (yes, it always has been to a degree but this really screws things up), as the playing fields were tipped far, far away from level during the "Steroid Era."

All that said, I still love the game. I will still watch, and cheer and debate it. However, I experienced a perfect example of the phenomenon above yesterday. Over at Yardbarker, they have a whole host of these little sports quizzes. They start the clock, you fill in the blanks and try to impress (mainly yourself) with your own sports knowledge prowess. You may have rocked a few of these. Well, yesterday, I stumbled upon the following YB quiz: Top 20 Single Season Home Run Leaders.

Not to give away the quiz (go take it), or laud my encyclopedic knowledge (17), but I missed a few of the old-timers (Hack Wilson and Jimmie Foxx) and one individual who made the list with the 14-th greatest single-season home run total in the history of Major League Baseball. 57 blasts...142 RBIs...how could I've forgotten...Luis Gonzalez. Sure, he's wedged in between two 'roiders in A-Rod and Big Mac, so I guess what's the big deal, right? But something about it just made me incredibly depressed. Gonzalez was a very nice player, and nothing has ever surfaced (to my knowledge) about his use of PEDs.

And that's the part that's so disheartening..either way. If he did juice up to hit those 57 (his next best season was 31 and averaged 19/year over his career), his name is now etched in the record books among the all-time greats (regardless of the value we now put on those lists). If he did put up such a season "naturally," he will never ever get the credit for it that he would justly deserve.

Not sure where I was going with this, but another one of those "roids stink" moments for a baseball fan.

Does baseball have the juice to save America?

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:24:40 -0500

The theaters are full of movies where some popular diversion captures the spirit of a nation in troubled times. Historians like to point to, say, a horse named Seabiscuit becoming a symbol of hope during the Great Depression. More directly, the US Olympic hockey team’s 1980 victory over the USSR vented some Cold War stresses. HBO tried to say that the 2001 World Series, played in New York only months after 9/11 rallied the world around the Yankees. Of course, I don’t remember it that way. I remember jumping up and down when Luis Gonzalez’s bloop fell in, thanking all sorts of deities and taunting my Yankees fan friends the next day. But maybe I’m a communist. By all accounts, America’s...

Just what exactly is Gonzo going to do for the Diamondbacks?

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:47:22 -0500

We’ve all heard the rumors about Luis Gonzalez returning to the Diamondback’s in some capacity. We just aren’t sure in what capacity. Maybe AzCentral can shed some light on that.

Around the Internet: Spring Training, Abreu, Dunn, Projections, Phillips, and Fast and the Furious

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:42:32 -0500

Since I haven't done one of these in a while here it goes.

C. Trent Rosecrans has the Reds spring training roster, mean while Mark Sheldon writes about the prospects that recived invites.

Supposedly the Reds are open to signing a left handed hitter, but that man isn't going to be Dunn. On that same topic Isaac Thorn from CityBeat thinks they should reconsider him. After the report today on Dunn's demands, I suspect they wont.

How about Bobby Abreu? I could deal with it, but please no to Luis Gonzalez.

Want to know about the college pitchers in this years baseball draft? Red Reporter has it covered.

Firenedcollettinow.com reminds me why 'The Fast and The Furious' was an awesome movie, but with a twist.

Projections are worthless in my opinion, but damn they are fun to go back and laugh at. Redsminorleagues.com gives his, and Replacementlevel.com gives some also.

Lastly for you fantasy guys, Crooked Pitch ranks 2nd basemen, which I'm only linking because Brandon Phillips is on the list.

The Diamondbacks Outfield Situation. Also, My Return.

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:50:38 -0500

...And we're back. With the return of the Dbacks set to begin tomorrow in their first Spring Training game, this blog returns to regular posting. More than anything the timing is coincidental at best. To be honest i was a bit burnt out from a variety of reasons, and as such my writing suffered. And i hate when what i write is total crap. So i stepped away for a while.

But recent events got me thinking it was time to return. First off was the transformation of the old AZ Sports Hub site into Fanster.com. The guys over there, including Greg, Matt, and Vince, have been awesome to me and have supported me throughout the adventure that has been this blog. Their new site is fantastic, and is definitely worth spending some time whether you live here in the Valley or elsewhere.

Second, i've increased my web presence even more by starting my own personal blog (which you can find to the right) and signing up on Twitter. Find me on twitter here, it's a combination of both this blog and my personal life.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

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The Diamondbacks head into 2009 as a team with a lot of questions, in a lot of different positions. After a disappointing end to a 2008 season that started with such promise, the team is looking to bounce back with a solid, and hopefully more consistent, 2009 season. Over the course of the next week, i'll be taking a look at some of the positions the Diamondbacks face uncertainties at. The first i'll look at is the outfield situation.

Center Field:
I'll start with the only sure-fire, guaranteed position in the outfield. Chris Young isn't going anywhere, and we should all be very happy about this. At 25 years old, CY is already one of the best defensive CF's in all of baseball. His range and speed are his biggest assets, allowing him to cover up deficiencies from both the LF and RF in that area. He also has the ability to become a decent power hitter, and is capable of becoming a doubles machine.

That said, he's coming off of a bit of a disappointing 2008. Despite playing in more games and getting more at-bats, his numbers were down from 2007 in many offensive categories, including stolen bases, home runs, doubles, slugging, and OPS. Not to mention the fact that he struck out 165 times last year.

If CY can continue to develop while refining other aspects of his game, he could be set for a monster year. He could become a 40-steal, 40-double guy, with the ability to knock in 30 HR's and 100 RBI's. Ambitious yes, but not out of the question. The biggest thing he needs to do is cut down his strike-outs and get back to running. Do that and everything else will fall in line.

Right Field:
No, i'm not gonna say he's a lock in the outfield. Not yet. Not after he spent time last year injured and in the minors. Yes, the kid is immensely, immensely talented, and has all the tools to become a superstar in this league. All he's gotta do is put it all together.

Just 21 years old, Justin Upton could very well be the real deal. We've seen flashes, him gunning down a runner at home plate, him absolutely destroying baseballs into the upper deck, him flying around the bases with unparalleled speed. We've also seen the inexperience, him dropping fly balls, him missing the cut-off man, him getting picked off on the base paths.

This should be shaping up to be his break-out year. He got a pretty decent run at it last year, getting the experience and know-how of what it takes to be a full-time MLB player. Now it's time for him to put it all together and show what he is capable of. He has no real competition at right field, but Bob Melvin also won't let Upton hang himself out there if he's not getting it done.

Count me among the ones who is hoping he will get it done and have a breakout season.

Left Field:
The situation in left field has been mishandled for going on three years now. Luis Gonzalez, while getting old, could have been serviceable out there for another year when the Dbacks decided to dump him. When they did, they turned it over to Eric Byrnes. Byrnes is a nice player who does a great job hustling, but he's no star. That didn't stop the Dbacks from giving him star money, to the tune of $10 Million a year for three years. After receiving the contract, he promptly finished the 2007 season batting under .250, and spent most of 2008 hurt.

Which brings us to Conor Jackson, who replaced Byrnes in LF last year. Jackson actually became a bit of a revelation in LF, seeming much more comfortable there than he had been at First Base. That comfort in the field led to comfort at the plate, and it showed in 2008. Jackson posted career highs in batting average (.300), walks (59), hits (162), runs (87), doubles, triples, and total bases. All of which led to many people calling for Eric Byrnes' head, or at least for him to be shipped out of town.

Neither of which happened. Which creates one of the more interesting position battles in camp. What to do with Eric Byrnes. Can you pay $10 Million a year for a fourth outfielder? Do you let Byrnes and Jackson fight out it in an open competition for LF? Where do you stick Jackson if Byrnes were to beat him out? You can't leave Jackson out of the lineup, he's arguably the team's best hitter.

All indications are that Jackson is set in LF, and Byrnes will be the fourth outfielder. If Byrnes comes back healthy though, and is able to hit and run, can you keep him out of the lineup? What if Upton is struggling both in the field and at the plate?

Interesting questions, to be sure. Though if you think that's a messy situation, you obviously don't know about the infield situation, which involves as many as seven different people, including LF Conor Jackson. I'll be looking at that in the coming days.

As always, thanks for your support.

Eric Hinske signs

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:27:07 -0500

The Hinske signing becomes officialy today, too. The Pirates know better than to announce news the Friday before the Super Bowl, apparently. DK's reporting the terms at one year/$1.5 million. That's really not much money to provide some bench insurance. And it's not Luis Gonzalez.

Argentina, Maradona snubs Cambiasso and Zarate

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:11:24 -0500

Argentna coach Diego Maradona named 20 foreign-based players for next month’s friendly in France. Barcelona forward Lionel Messi was included after his Spanish club agreed to release him for the game in Marseille on Feb. 11. Maradona again overlooked midfielder Esteban Cambiasso, who was a regular under his predecessor Alfio Basile, while Luis Gonzalez, who [...]

Eric Hinske

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:57:52 -0500

Bucs are interested in him too. If we're interested in signing someone that can actually be useful as a utility/fourth outfielder in 2009, Hinske scores much higher on the scale than Luis Gonzalez. I have taken this occasion to actually make a new poll, which you can find in the left sidebar.

Pirates Interested In Gonzalez

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:51:46 -0500

The Pirates are reportedly showing interest in veteran outfielder Luis Gonzalez, according to the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette. Gonzalez has really taken to mentoring young players, like he did in Florida. In 136 games last season, Gonzalez hit .261 with 8 HR and a .336 OBP. He probably wouldn't have a huge impact on the team on the field, but he would provide the Pirates with an All-Star veteran with years of experience.

Belarus hold Argentina to 0-0 draw in Minsk

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:15:47 -0500

Belarus, preparing for the start of Europe's 2010 World Cup qualifiers next month, held a strong Argentina side to a 0-0 draw in a friendly on Wednesday. The South Americans were missing Lionel Messi and Juan Roman Riquelme, playing for Argentina at the Beijing Olympics, but still should have won with a side including Luis Gonzalez [...]